Brontosaurus by Fred Flintsone about 7200 years ago, it is called today by the modern name: Apatosaurus is the modern name. The drawing at the left is from Bob Bakker's book, Dinosaur Heresies (1986). He begins by telling the story of his realization, "There's something wrong with our dinosaurs." He says, "I had grown up with the dinosaurian orthodoxy about dinosaur ways-how they were swamp bound monsters of sluggish dispositions, plodding with somnolent strides through the sodden terrain..." His contrasting view has drastically altered the way dinosaurs are now depicted. (Click on a photo for high resolution)

Correctly sculpted by ancient peoples

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The same modern ideas are reflected in clay figurines from the Pre-classical Chupicuaro Culture (800 B.C. to 200 A.D.) found near Acambaro, Guanajuato, Mexico.

(Click on a photo for high resolution)

Ankylosarus

As drawn today

Ankylosaurs exhibited a great deal of variety as do our modern dogs, however, the general type is readily recognizable in this Acambaro figurine.

(No high resolution photo available, thumbnail only. Photo by

Greg Paul)

Correctly sculpted by ancient peoples

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The most obvious explanation for hundreds of life-like depictions of dinosaurs is that they have not been gone that long. These people who lived 2500 years ago saw them.

(Click on a photo for high resolution)

Iguanodon

Incorrectly drawn around 1825

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When the bones of Iguanodon were discovered in the early 1800's, scientists had a very poor idea of their appearance in life.

(Click on a photo for high resolution)

Incorrectly drawn around 1895

By the late 1800's the conception had improved considerably.

(Click on a photo for high resolution)

Correctly drawn today

Now we know much more. For example, ossified tendons in the tail indicate that the tail did not droop but stood out straight.

(No high resolution photo available, thumbnail only. Photo by

Greg Paul)

Correctly sculpted by ancient peoples

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The clay figurine (below right) is from the Pre-classical Chupicuaro Culture (800 B.C. to 200 A.D.) found near Acambaro, Guanajuato, Mexico. It seems obvious these people knew how Iguanodons appeared in life.